PDFE Assignment 13

I recently observed a Berry College Mens basketball practice, coached by Jeff Haarlow. I observed feedback for jump shots, passing, defending, boxing out, free-throws, and how he coach reacted to players and different situations.

Intrinsic( a player sees himself perform a task like a jump shot or a pass correctly)

A player makes 10 free throws in a row.

A player makes a jump shot with a defender in his face.

Extrinsic (a coach comments on the performance of a player)

The coach commented on the stance of a defensive player. He told a player to stay low while defending.

The coach also made the players run in a set amount of time that was visible on the scoreboard.

KR (athlete uses a scoreboard to help make a time while running)

A player sees a layup go in.

A player sprints and beats his teammates in sprints .

KP

The final score of a basketball game

The coaches attitude towards the players and the game.

Descriptive

A bad shot was taken and the coach said "you should have waited until later in the shot clock to take that shot."

A player had his back turned and was not in proper help defense and the coach said "if you were open and saw both your man and the ball, you would have potentially been able to stop the team from scoring.

Prescriptive

On a rebound a player did not box out and the coach told the player to get low and find a player to box out.

On a shot a players feet were too wide and the coach instructed him to close them for a more effective shot.

Motivation

The coach was able to motivate the players by timing their running. If the players did not run in the given time, the players had to continue to run. Their motivation was leaving practice early.

Reinforcement

The coach kept reminding players to stay low while they were defending.

PDFE Assignment 12

Knowledge of Results of KR provides information about the outcome of an action each time an action is completed. Whether that action is correct or incorrect the participant receives feedback. Having constant feedback is not always a good thing though. An athlete can grow to develop a dependency on the feedback which will case him to perform worse in a game like setting because he will not have that constant feedback.Knowledge of Performance or KP provides information about the process. This allows an athlete to provide themselves with their own automatic feedback. The participant does not have to rely on an outside source for feedback, which will allow for faster reaction time and quicker, more automatic changes. Knowledge of Performance also results for better performance in a game-like setting. The athlete will be able to correct his mistakes without having to rely on the crutch of someone else. Throughout the lab my partner scored better because she was asking for feedback after every turn. This is an example of the KR. I, on the other hand, used KP, which means I asked for feedback sparingly. My partner performed better than me for the first half of the experiment, but when neither one of us could ask for feedback I performed better because I was used to adjusting my attempts without having to be constantly told how close I was to my given target. One thing that could affect this lab would be the way an individual interprets a millimeter. Not having the correct mental distance can drastically change the overall results.

PDFE Assignment 11

Last Thursday I observed a Teaching Team and Individual Sports class in the Cage Facility. The class is directed by Coach Pearson and college students teach Berry College Middle Schoolers. The class started the class playing kickball then moved to an altered type of dodgeball The class is composed of 7th and 8th graders and it totals out to around 28 students. I calculated (34x15 second/825 seconds) 58% activity, (12x15 seconds / 825 seconds) 21% instruction, (6x15 seconds / 825 seconds) 10% management, (5x15 seconds / 825 seconds) 9% waiting.

I personally believe that these are appropriate percentages for a middle school P.E. class. The students should be trying to focus as much as possible on the new skills learned in order to build a strong skill base. Instruction is necessary for the students to learn new schools, but for them to truly get better at the skills they are being taught they need to spend as much time as possible acting out the new skills they have learned. It is my personal opinion that there was too much time waiting. 9% of class is too much time for middle schoolers to be idle. The time spent managing the class was appropriate because the class switched from game to game. I believe that this is a great class for middle schoolers because they get to spend time in a college athletic facility and they are taught by college students. The students seem to respond better to the college students and they seem to be more willing to listen to what the college students have to say. All-in-all I believe the class runs very well and the students are usually able to maximize their learning potential.

PDFE Assignment 10

In sports it is not uncommon for an athlete to try and practice a specific skill in order to become a more well rounded athlete. Consistent skills practice occurs when an athlete practices one specific skill or action over and over. When doing this action, an athlete does not practice any other part of that skill. This skill is beneficial when an athlete is trying to master one specific part of a skill. On the other hand, varied skills practice occurs when an athlete changes the consistent practice. This could happen by changing the distance, speed, or any factor that could effect the outcome. This action is more beneficial to the athlete as a whole because of the changes that occur are similar to changes that would occur in a game.

For the lab that recently occurred, each group consisted of two members that attempted to toss a bean bag into hula-hoop. One participant was simulating the consistent skill group and tossed all of their bean bags from 5 meters away. The other partner simulated the varied group. This individual tossed the bean bag from 4, 5, and 6 meters. In this activity one could observe the differences between the consistent skilled group and of the varied skilled group.

In my personal opinion, I believe that the varied skilled practice is more beneficial than the consistent skilled practice because it provides the athlete with a more realistic setting. There are very few sports that require an athlete to perform any activity from a set spot over and over. The varied skill practice gives a more realistic setting because of the way the athlete is having to constantly change their athletic approach. In our group neither the varied or consistent group proved to be more beneficial to the athlete. The results of this activity could have been influenced by fatigue, injury, or number of attempts.

PDFE Assignment 9

I feel like my physical education background was different than the common student, because I moved schools a good bit. I went to primary school here in Rome, Georgia at Glennwood Elementary School. From Kindergarten through second grade my P.E. teacher was Mrs. Rice and our classes had between 20 and 30 students. We had P.E. classes for around an hour every third day because we rotated between Art, P.E., and Music. We never focused on specific sports, but rather we made sure to cover the basics of elementary movement. The class took place inside a gym half the time and outside on a track or in a field the other half of the time.

As I became older I transfered to Berry Elementary School. At Berry I was able to do many different activities that the average school child might not be able to enjoy. My classes were a little bit smaller. We probably had between 15 and 20 students in the class and it lasted around an hour and a half. Unlike primary school we focused on games more. Sometimes the class would play capture the flag out in front of Frost Chapel and other times the class would go into the Windshape gym and play games like basketball and dodgeball. This was probably one of my favorite P.E. classes because we played games that I enjoyed and we had a vast amount of freedom our class had on Berry's beautiful mountain campus.

I left Rome and moved to Fayetteville, Georgia the summer I was going into 7th grade. For two years I attended Whitewater Middle School. The P.E. classes were a lot larger because the school was bigger. I believed the classes consisted of around 25-35 students. The classes met everyday for 9 weeks then students had to change their electives. P.E. was always my favorite class so I tried to make sure I was able to get into a P.E. or P.A. (Physical Activity) three out of the four 9 weeks. The classes consisted of many of the same activities I did when I was at Berry. We played games like dodgeball, flag football, and basketball.

After I finished middle school at Whitewater, I transfered to Our Lady of Mercy High School. I had the pleasure of having my father be my P.E. teacher for a good bit of high school. My classes were a tad bit smaller than they were at Whitewater. I usually had somewhere between 20 and 25 students in a class. We were required to have only one semester of P.E. and one semester of health. Our P.E. class usually did some form of running or actual physical for the first half of class, then play a game for the remainder of class. Because we could only take one P.E. class, I took a couple weight training classes and team sports classes.

I strongly disagree that schools are reducing the amount of physical activity required for students. As a nation that is notorious for being obese and having health issues, it seems preposterous that school systems would reduce the amount of active time students are participating in physical activity. I believe that schools should require at least 3-5 hours of physical activity a week. I also believe that all students should be required to participate. I think that students who are out of shape often times do not play or participate because they fear being mocked or ridiculed.

PDFE Assignment 8

In the lab the was performed last class, many students had many different results when trying to complete the task. I know that some students already knew how to tie the knot, so they had no trouble with the lab. Other students did not initially understand how to tie the knot, but caught on very quickly. Finally, there were students that had no history of tying complicated knots and they did not catch on quickly at all.

My partner (Amanda) had no previous history with tying knots and it showed when she first tried to tie the knot. After she had gone through the process a few times she started to get the hang of it, but she did not fully understand how to tie the knot until she received help from the teacher. After she received help a few times she was able to tie the knot consistently with relative ease.

I struggled with many of the same difficulties my partner did. Like Amanda, I also had no previous knowledge with tying knots. I was not able to tie the knot just by looking at the instructions and working the rope out on my own. I was not able to complete the knot until I visually saw someone else tie the knot. After I saw someone else tie the knot, I was able to quickly fix what I was doing wrong, and ultimately tie the knot correctly. After I performed the task correctly for the first time, the rest came fairly naturally. It seemed like it only took me a few times until i could perform the task at an almost autonomous rate.

It really is impressive when the body hits the autonomous state. The stage reminds me of muscle memory. In sports, after you perform a task so many times with the same motion, it comes as second nature. You can perform the task with your eyes closed or in many other varied situations. Like muscle memory, the autonomous state gives an individual a comfort area that comes with an extreme amount of ease.

PDFE Assignment 7

Personal Ability Inventory

Multilimb coordination 1 2 3 4 5 4

Control precision 1 2 3 4 5 4

Response orientation 1 2 3 4 5 4

Reaction time 1 2 3 4 5 4

Rate control 1 2 3 4 5 4

Manual dexterity 1 2 3 4 5 4

Finger dexterity 1 2 3 4 5 4

Arm–hand steadiness 1 2 3 4 5 4

Wrist–finger speed 1 2 3 4 5 3

Aiming 1 2 3 4 5 4

Explosive strength 1 2 3 4 5 4

Static strength 1 2 3 4 5 3

Dynamic strength 1 2 3 4 5 3

Trunk strength 1 2 3 4 5 3

Extent flexibility 1 2 3 4 5 2

Dynamic flexibility 1 2 3 4 5 3

Gross body equilibrium 1 2 3 4 5 3

Balance with visual cues 1 2 3 4 5 2

Speed of limb movement 1 2 3 4 5 4

Gross body coordination 1 2 3 4 5 4

Stamina 1 2 3 4 5 4

Movement rate 1 2 3 4 5 3

Motor timing 1 2 3 4 5 3

Perceptual timing 1 2 3 4 5 4

Force control 1 2 3 4 5 3

List five skills that you can perform with a relatively high level of proficiency:

1) Perform a layup

2) Shoot a Free Throw

3) Catching a Ball

4) Throwing a Ball with accuracy

5) Running while cradling a ball

Ideal Ability Profile

Skill: Throwing an object towards a moving target. (ie: passing a basketball to a moving player).

1) Aiming

2) Manual Dexterity

3) Motor Timing

4) Perceptual Timing

5) Force Control

6) Finger Dexterity

7) Wrist-Finger Speed

8) Arm-Hand Steadiness

Discussion

Most people who have some idea of sports understand how to make a pass or throw a ball. They tend to understand how to lead the player by throwing the ball ahead of the intended target. This allows the ball to make up for the time difference between the ball being thrown and the receiver catching the ball. My ability inventory coordinate with my ideal ability profile because of the way they coordinate with passing a basketball. Being a basketball player this skill comes easily to me. I have been shooting and passing since I was a child, it comes as second nature to make a pass, but i can understand how it would be difficult for beginner.

PDFE Assignment 6

Meredith: 3,1,6,2,3,2
Amanda: 5,2,5,3,6,5
Lindsay: 1,3,4,1,1,3
Robert: 4,5,3,5,1,1
Bethani: 6,6,2,3,3,4
Jeff: 2,4,1,5,3,6

While in class on Monday the 18th, the class performed a lab on motor ability in the MAC gym. The class was split up into three random groups and each group performed balancing exercises. After each member completed the task they were ranked on how well they did. Unlike the previous exercise, there was not a single individual that excelled in each specific exercise, nor was there one specific person that did poorly in each exercise. Lindsay, who has a background in dance and ballet, scored the overall highest in the group. In the previous lab she ranked in the lower half of the exercises. Her background in ballet and dance required her to focus on balance and posture, which helped her in the exercises, but she too finished low in some exercises. Amanda on the other hand, performed very well in the exercises from the last lab, but finished in the lower half of many of the exercises that took place. Continuing with the wide range of extremes, Jeff was ranked in a different position on all 6 of the exercises. I thought that the lab went very well because it showed many different types of balancing positions, as well as showing how having a background in a sport or other activity can lead to general motor abilities.

PDFE Assignment 4

For my interview I chose to ask Coach Haarlow, the head basketball coach for the Berry Vikings.

1. How long have you been a basketball coach? 14 years

2. Why did you become a Basketball coach? To help young kids reach potential and I loved the passion and dedication it takes to be good at something

3. Where did you do your undergraduate studies and what was your major in? Berry College and Sports Management

4. Did you ever consider any other career besides coaching? I would not know what else to do…I never have considered anything else. If I was not coaching I would still be part of an athletic department in some capacity.

5. What do you enjoy the most about your job? The day to day interaction with the student/athletes…I also really enjoy the scouting aspect of coaching college basketball. The job is constantly changing…never a dull moment…

6. What do you enjoy the least about your job? The confrontation with some and the few that have bad attitudes and don’t understand why they are here (to get an education)

7. What is the hardest part about your job? Getting players to understand the importance of team and giving to something bigger than themselves.

8. What are your long term career goals? To have an influence on the student/athletes that are in our program. Win as many games as possible…

9. If you could go back to when you began your college education and change one thing what would it be? I wish I took advantage of the fact of being young (not married) and traveled a little as a graduate student to get the taste of another part of the country. I wish I did my graduate work at another school then maybe came back to Rome.

PDFE Assignment 5

As I worked my way through the slide show I found it to be very helpful because of the way it made me focus on my long term goals, and what I have to do to attain them. As annoying as it might be at the moment, planning for the long run is very important. I find that having a plan set out keeps and individual on track and does not allow one to stray from their intended goal. I know from personal experiences that I have received jobs and done better in school and athletics because I have had a pre-determined goals that I could look back and focus on. This slide show goes right along with long term planning, which I personally believe is essential to a young career.

One thing I noticed that really caught my eye was the slide that talked about being a multi-threat and the one that discussed being well rounded. Growing up as an athlete my father always preached the benefits of being a well-rounded athlete that could preform many different tasks, and play many different positions. It is neat to be able to see and relate the same philosophy that was taught to me throughout my youth.

The slide show stated that a liberal arts education would help with job opportunities and long term goals. I have been able to see the value of a liberal arts college in the two years that I have attended Berry College. I have gained friends and work experiences that have already helped me in job hunts and my long term goals.

I found this slide show to be very beneficial to me as a growing student who is looking to make himself marketable to future employers. I would strongly suggest this slide show to anyone that is in need of guidance for their long term goals.

PDFE Assignment 3

I recently watched an Atlanta Braves baseball game, as I pretty much do every night throughout the summer. The Braves played the Washington Nationals on their quest do give away all possible playoff hopes. Since baseball is such a reactionary sport there were many instances where I was able to see various aspects that go along with the human reaction. The most obvious way one could see human reaction would be the batters response to when the pitcher threw the ball. The batter has less than a second to decide whether or not to swing. Along with this difficult task the batter also must adjust and swing to a ball that can have tremendously sharp movement. I was able to view Hick's Law when the umpire called balls and strikes. The location of the pitch was the stimulus while the umpires decision to call a ball or a strike was the response choice. During the game, reaction time could be seen as the fielders attempted to field the ball once it was hit. There was a definite lag between the time the batter hit the ball and to the time the fielder made his initial move to field the ball. There were several instances where the pitcher would throw over to first in an attempt to pick off the runner or just keep him closer to the base. Because the pitcher initiated the stimulus, the time it took the base runner to return to the base was the Psychological Refactory Period. I was able to see a prime example of anticipation when the Washington Nationals set up a shift to try and prevent Brian McCann from getting a hit. The Nationals placed three infielders on the right side of the infield because McCann tends to hit the ball on the right side of the infield whenever he makes contact. Baseball is nothing more than a series of short immediate reactions. Hopefully the Braves can react a little faster before they loose all hopes of a postseason.

PDFE Assignment 3

I recently watched an Atlanta Braves baseball game, as I pretty much do every night throughout the summer. The Braves played the Washington Nationals on their quest do give away all possible playoff hopes. Since baseball is such a reactionary sport there were many instances where I was able to see various aspects that go along with the human reaction. The most obvious way one could see human reaction would be the batters response to when the pitcher threw the ball. The batter has less than a second to decide whether or not to swing. Along with this difficult task the batter also must adjust and swing to a ball that can have tremendously sharp movement. I was able to view Hick's Law when the umpire called balls and strikes. The location of the pitch was the stimulus while the umpires decision to call a ball or a strike was the response choice. During the game, reaction time could be seen as the fielders attempted to field the ball once it was hit. There was a definite lag between the time the batter hit the ball and to the time the fielder made his initial move to field the ball. There were several instances where the pitcher would throw over to first in an attempt to pick off the runner or just keep him closer to the base. Because the pitcher initiated the stimulus, the time it took the base runner to return to the base was the Psychological Refactory Period. I was able to see a prime example of anticipation when the Washington Nationals set up a shift to try and prevent Brian McCann from getting a hit. The Nationals placed three infielders on the right side of the infield because McCann tends to hit the ball on the right side of the infield whenever he makes contact. Baseball is nothing more than a series of short immediate reactions. Hopefully the Braves can react a little faster before they loose all hopes of a postseason.

Minutes

Jump Shot Balla's

Monday September 13th 6:45-7:15pm

Cage Classroom

Amanda, Jeff, & Robert

Discuss and determine a plan for our next group meeting.

Next Meeting: Monday September 20th, 4:00 pm MAC Gymnasium.

~We will meet in the Cage lobby then head down to the MAC to work on our project.

Project: Comparing a basketball jump shot of someone with a beginners skill level to someone that has a collegiate skill level, and to someone that has the skill level of a professional athlete.

Materials: Camera/Video Camera, Basketball, Basketball Goal, Beginner Player.

Tasks: Interview Derek Taylor (Assistant Basketball Coach) about his 6 S's of a jump shot.

Start an outline and PowerPoint presentation that goes along with our project.

Focus largely on the comparisons between the different skill levels.

Each group member will complete 1/3rd of the project.

Jeff: Find and bring the needed supplies and materials for the project.

Amanda: Group Leader

Robert: Minute Recorder

PDFE Assignment 2

This week on Wednesday, September 8th, I observed a P90X workout in the large classroom located in the rear of the Cage Center. The class was composed of approximately 15 students ranging from freshmen to seniors. This was more specifically a plyometrics workout, therefore it involved a decent amount of jumping, sliding, running, and leaping. Because of the large amounts of running and jumping, this activity was a significant locomotor movement workout. There was very little if any manipulative movement that took place throughout the workout. The only example the I witnessed would be when the students retrieved water bottles. I viewed this as manipulative movement because the students had to coordinate with their hands and mouth in order to drink their water.

The students focused on many muscle groups when doing the workout. The main points of focus were the legs (calfs, quads, and hamstrings) and core (abdominal) muscle group and this would be considered the gross movement that took place throughout the workout. These muscle groups were what allowed the students to participate in the exercises throughout this workout. The workouts involved throughout the workout was a continuous motor skill, because with each separate exercise there was a distinct beginning and end. As the workout progressed I was able to determine that there were many exercises that required decision making movements. I believe this because many of the exercises involved were advanced movements that involved multiple stages. (ex. running then leaping then sliding).

The environment of this environment was closed. Students participated inside a closed classroom while watching a DVD that explained the different exercises. The only way I could see the environment being unpredictable would be if the DVD player broke, or a fan fell on a student.

PDFE Assignment 1

I recently observed a pickup game of basketball for approximately an hour to an hour and a half. There were 14 male student athletes that ranged from freshmen to 5th year seniors. Throughout the course of the pickup games the student athletes performed many athletic actions such as running, jumping, shooting, sliding, passing, and dribbling. The pickup game took place in the Multi-Activity Center inside the Cage Center. These pickup games sporadically occur 3 times throughout the week. These games usually last between an hour and two hours. The actions performed throughout course of the game varied in difficulty, but for the most part the actions were increasingly difficult.

The student athletes involved were considerably safe given the circumstances. There was a constant possibility of a sudden injury like a sprained ankle or dehydration, but for the most part the athletes took considerable care of their bodies.

As the student athletes participate in the pickup games there was never a clear-cut teaching section, but it was evident that the players were learning as they continued to play. At one specific point during the competition, a certain player made a move in an attempt to score. After the player failed to score there was a break in play. At this point a sophomore and an upperclassman approached the player and explained what he did wrong and what he could have done to perform better in the future.

The athletes involved were constantly moving unless they were stretching or not involved in the actual game.

The activities seemed to be developmentally appropriate for the players involved because everyone involved had a previous history with basketball. If there had been someone playing with no basketball background the game would have increased significantly in difficulty.

If I were to personally teach the activity I would have spent more time teaching. For the most part the athletes involved seemed to enjoy playing. There were some players who complained on occasion. There were also players that were upset with themselves if they did not play well, but for the most part the players enjoyed playing.

Biography

Throughout the course of an individuals life, there comes a point when it becomes necessary to make a decision on what career path to take. For some people this may come early on in their life, at the same time it seems as though their are still adults that do not know what they wish to do. When I was a child I spent the majority of my time around sports. Whether it was shooting a basketball or throwing a baseball, it seemed as though I was always playing some sort of sport. Even as a child I knew that I wanted to be around sports as long as I could, even if that meant being an athletic trainer or a physical education teacher.

My father had been a basketball coach all of my life and being around a gym was essentially my second home. As I continued to grow my passion for basketball grew with me, until one day I eventually decided that I wanted to be a college basketball coach. Basketball had always been part of my life and I did not want to face the day where I no longer needed or wanted it.

When I arrived at Berry I declared myself to be a business management major, even though I wanted to coach one day. I talked with coaches, family members, and friends about my future and eventually decided that in order to give myself the best opportunity to become a college coach, I needed to change my major to Kinesiology with a focus on HPE. With a degree in HPE I realized that I would better myself after college to place myself in a field where coaching is easier to come about. High schools across the country are constantly looking for people to coach and teach Health and Physical education. By having a degree that allows me to teach I will open more opportunities to work my way into the coaching field. I ultimately wish to coach in college and I personally feel that having a HPE major will help me attain my true goal.